Under House Bill 214, by Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, women who want coverage for the procedure would have to purchase a supplemental plan.

The bill, approved on a 95-51 vote, will "give people economic and personal freedom so they are not forced to buy a product that is against their own conscience," Smithee said. Half a dozen female GOP representatives stood nearby as he answered questions about the proposal.

"We fully expect this to get to the governor's desk, and we're delighted," said Joe Pojman, executive director of Texas Alliance for Life. "An abortion is an abortion, and people who don't support it shouldn't have to pay for it."

Several Democrats offered unsuccessful amendments to the bill, including one from Arlington Rep. Chris Turner that would allow insurance companies to cover abortions in primary plans when pregnancies result from rape or incest.

"Women shouldn't be forced to buy rape insurance," he said.

Smithee responded, saying the act of rape very seldom results in a pregnancy.

Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, asked Smithee if a mother should force her 10-year-old daughter to carry a pregnancy to term if it resulted from rape.

"We're discussing taking the life of the innocent little baby because of something the baby had nothing to do with," Smithee said.

An amendment from Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, would have created an exemption for severe fetal anomalies. She told lawmakers they shouldn't force women to risk their lives to carry a nonviable fetus to term.

"I believe we need to let a woman and her doctor make decisions about whether to proceed with a pregnancy," the representative added.

Smithee emphasized that the bill does not ban abortion, but prevents Texans who oppose the procedure from having to subsidize it by paying for insurance that could cover someone else's abortion.

"This bill does very little to impair the ability of anyone to obtain an abortion if that is their choice," Smithee said.

Critics of the measure say it will disproportionately affect low-income women.

"If a woman of means needs a procedure, she is able to pay for it out of pocket. A woman who does not have resources is not able to do so," said Yvonne Gutierrez, executive director of Planned Parenthood Texas Votes.

"States have broad discretion in how they regulate insurance," Rocap told The Dallas Morning News. "But the bill does further restrict women's access to safe, legal abortions. It is death by 1,000 cuts."

The House and Senate have passed two of the three abortion-related items that Gov. Greg Abbott placed on the agenda for the legislative special session, which ends in nine days.